IWU vs. SMU

Should I go to Illinois Wesleyan University or Southern Methodist University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IWU or SMU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Illinois Wesleyan University vs. Southern Methodist University comparison
Illinois Wesleyan University Southern Methodist University College 3 College 4
Illinois Wesleyan University Southern Methodist University
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Overview

IWU SMU
Location Bloomington, IL Dallas, TX
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,527 12,053
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #67
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu smu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU SMU
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $55,012
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $55,012
Room & Board $12,418 $17,750
Avg Net Price $30,096 $45,094
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $35,344
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 73%

Admission

IWU SMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 16,150
Admitted 1,861 8,439
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 52.3%
Enrolled % 20.5% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 31/34
SAT Range 1120/1330 1370/1510
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024

Academics

IWU SMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

IWU SMU
Graduation Rate 82% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $73,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

IWU SMU
% Men 51% 50%
% Women 49% 50%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 65%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 9% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

IWU SMU
% In-State 77% 38%
% Out-of-State 14% 58%

Campus

IWU SMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Southern Methodist University is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (12,053 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. SMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or SMU?

  • Southern Methodist University is 2.6% more expensive to attend than IWU for in-state tuition ($55,012.00 vs. $53,610.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.6% higher at SMU than Illinois Wesleyan University ($55,012.00 vs. $53,610.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Wesleyan University than SMU ($30,096 vs. $45,094)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 42.9% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($12,418 vs. $17,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Southern Methodist University (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 3.6% larger than aid received Southern Methodist University ($36,614 vs. $35,344)

IWU vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IWU or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or IWU .

  • The average SAT score at Southern Methodist University (1330) is 81 points higher than at IWU (1249)
  • Incoming SMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at IWU (28)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at SMU (3.68)
  • SMU has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU or SMU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SMU and IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Southern Methodist University (82% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Southern Methodist University earn on average $12,500 more per year than IWU graduates after ten years. ($73,000 vs. $60,500)
  • Southern Methodist University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • SMU graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/